A traditional psychosomatic therapy known as Daoying Tuina originated from Shanxi province It was applied to 59 cases with chronic atrophic gastritis and gastroduodenal ulcer. The patients were divided into two groups according to their surface electrogastrogram higher amplitude (>180µv) and frequency (>3.5 per minute); lower amplitude (<80µv) and frequency (<2.5 per minute). It was observed that the indexes of the first group tended to come down and that to go up in the second group after 71±4 days of practice of the exercise. In addition, it was found that the changes of electrogastrogram in an empty stomach of the qigong masters after practice lasted for 1.5—2.5 hours, longer than the un-qigong subjects (30 —40 minutes). This study showed that the exercise has a bi-directional regulation effect on the electrogastric activity in man. The possible mechanism of this effect is discussed too. (See tables 1, 2, 3)

Table 1. Changes of electrogastrogram at pre- and post-treatment with the exercise.

Course of Pre-meal Post-meal
Group Treatment Cases Frequency amplitude Frequency amplitude
(times/min.) (µv) (times/min.) (µv)

Chronic Pre- 24 2.23±0.25 41.63±16.56 2.58±0.23 64.39±24.13
Atrophic Post- 24 2.61±0.24 75.34±27.23 2.82±0.35 95.71±31.56
Gastritis

Gastro- Pre- 16
3 32±0.26 273.54±30.41 3.56±0.28 301.34±54.2
Duodenal 3.11±0.22 196.43±41.38 3.28±0.24 238.82±67.6 Ulcer Post- 16

Table 2. Changes of higher or lower amplitude groups in pre- and post-treatment with the exercise

Pro-meal amplitude(uv) Post-meal amplitude (uv)
Groups Cases Pre-treatment Post- Pre- Post-

HAG 12 312.53±55.18 220.21±49.54 363.29±58.55 253.72±53.44
LAG 26 45.71±20.25 83.64±26.34 67.34±16.28 107.32±30.41

HAG = Higher Amplitude Group
LAG = Lower Amplitude Group

Table 3. Changes of higher or lower frequency groups in pre- and post-treatment with the exercise

Pro-meal frequency(*) Post-meal (*)
Groups Cases Pre-treatment Post- Pre- Post-

HFG 10 3.61±0.08 3.10±0.15 3.73±0.11 3.25±0.16
LFG 21 2.18±0.16 2.54±0.21 2.54±0.19 2.96±0.24

HFG = higher frequency group
LFG = lower frequency group
(*) times/min

Bidirectional influence on the electrogastric activity in man